‘Croix ‘Eye

I was able to get out on Wed. night for a while above the Taylors Falls Dam and I found a few small crappies that were pretty anxious to bite my jig. I just can’t seem to find any “nice” ones up there. Got a big suprise at about 8’oclock, I hooked into what I thought to be a big catfish. Only using 4lb line and a 1/8oz tube jig on my St. Croix 6’6″ ultralight I knew this was going to be a great fight. I couldn’t for the life of me get this fish off the bottom. After about 8-10 min of being “gentle” I figured it was time to get a little “tougher” with her, so I put the pressure on and got her coming up and low and behold, a beautiful 9lb walleye. I grabbed the net and scooped her up and wouldn’t you know it, I picked her up and the jig was laying in the net. Why is it that everytime I catch a nice fish it seems like I didn’t have the hook set into her very good? I usually set the hook like a bass pro so I can’t figure out why this is. Any insight?

Gilly, I say this with pure envy….

I use to complain about my hook sets until I met a man that never landed a nine pound walleye.

I hope you see the humor in that! I think the question you should be asking yourself is “why when I catch a large fish…don’t I have a camera along!!!!

Nice fish by any standards! Is it going on the wall or swimming?

By the time a walleye gets that big she has a pretty tough mouth so if it was in good enough to get her in the boat be thankful. Look on the bright side, she definitely wasn’t hurt by the hook so she was in prime health when ya released her. Sounds like a great fish.

She’s still swimming around up there. I let her go and told her I’d catch up with her again next year, same time same place! I am very thankful that the Lord blessed me on Wed. evening with that wonderful experience. That happens to be my personal best to date. I caught a 7lb’er when I was 15 years old but since then have put alot of limits together but never run across really big ones. Remember, you can’t catch ’em sitting at your desk so keep your line wet and your rod bent!!!

By the way, I did have a camera with and have some great shots I’m just not very ‘puter savvy. I don’t have the first clue how to get them from my phone to the ‘puter?

Email them to Dave Koonce or Steve Plantz. They are both staff members here at IDA. They will surely get a 9lber posted for you. If you can’t reach them, send them to me. I’ll post them for you. [email protected]

Awesome fish!!!! Even better, you released her.

great fish and unusual for that neck of the woods. nice job on putting her back. hope she lays lots of eggs.